Janine Gutierrez (left) and Paulo Avelino in “Marry Me, Marry You”
We really have to start from somewhere,” said Paulo Avelino when asked to share his thoughts on the reported poor box-office performances of the eight entries to the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which concluded its run on Jan. 7.
Paulo was last year’s best actor winner for the MMFF entry “Fan Girl.”
In March 2020, movie houses were forced to shut down due to the pandemic. This was also why the 2020 MMFF was merely shown online. This year, MMFF organizers pushed for “physical” screenings with the hope of revitalizing the industry. However, “it was still hard to get people back to the cinemas, especially with the new COVID-19 variant (Omicron) out,” Paulo observed.
“This is really sad, but we also have to understand that our priority should still be the safety of our fellow Filipinos. We can’t blame them if they still don’t feel confident to watch in movie houses,” the actor pointed out.
“I still think it’s nice that they (MMFF organizers) decided to start live cinema viewing last December because it would encourage people to go back, and would help the film industry. I’m happy with this year’s MMFF. I also want to congratulate everyone who won awards,” said Paulo during a virtual media conference to promote the final three weeks of his well-followed romantic-comedy series “Marry Me, Marry You.”
Separation anxiety
Paulo said they have long finished taping for the series, which also features Janine Gutierrez and Jake Ejercito. He added that more than learning how to let go of his character Andrei, it was dealing with the separation anxiety that was more difficult.
“We were in a bubble for a long period for the show. We got to spend a lot of time together. We used to eat together every day. For me, that was harder to let go, not my character because Andrei isn’t as emotionally burdened as the characters of Jake (Ejercito) or Iana (Bernardez), for example,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Janine said that what made her feel sad was the fact that she would no longer see the costars whom she considered her parents in the series: Cherry Pie Picache and Lito Pimentel, whom she calls “Papang.”
“It was Papang who really made me cry during our last few taping days. Our relationship on the set was really awesome. I left the show now having a solid bond with Ms Pie, Ms Sunshine (Dizon), Ms Vina (Morales), Adrian (Lindayag) and Papang. To know that I will have to leave that family behind soon was what made me sad,” said Janine, who plays Camille in the series.
Lessons on love
Asked what lessons on love did the series teach her that she could eventually apply in real life, Janine said: “You don’t have to be with someone perfect, just with someone who loves you and who you will love with your heart and soul. This idea is best reflected in the series’ soundtrack, which has since become my favorite.”
When it was Paulo’s turn to answer, the actor said: “I don’t think I would be able to apply any of these in real life soon because I’m currently not with anyone. I learned that while the saying, ‘It’s you and me against the world’ is true, it’s also true that you also have to love the people around you, whether they’re kind to you or not; even though they don’t like you. This is because nothing compares to the happiness you will feel if you also give love to the people that your partner cares for, and in Camille’s case, her extended family.”
At one point in the media gathering, Paulo and Janine were asked to admit whether their onscreen romance has already developed off-cam, an issue which the two obviously tried to dodge. Paulo has long been single and Janine has recently broken up with actor-dancer Rayver Cruz.
Jealous
“I just want to say that we’re all jealous of Ms Pie and Tito Edu (Manzano, who both admitted recently that they are now dating),” Janine said. “We always see them together. Nothing compares to their sweetness. It’s just funny that they both successfully escaped from us in today’s presscon.”
Paulo reacted by saying: “I’m just waiting for Janine. Let’s see if we’re not too busy this year, especially since we each have work lined up for us this 2022.”
When it was his turn to answer the question about what he will miss most now that taping is finished, Paulo said: “I will miss our kulitan, and the fact I’m always waiting for her (Janine) because she’s always the last to arrive on the set. I will also miss eating together with the team.”
Janine, on the other hand, said she would miss the lechon that Paulo always buys for the production team. “I will also miss that I would sometimes try to beat him to the set. Yes, I have proof that I arrived first! Seriously, I will miss the entire cast.”
Unforgettable
Janine said that the most unforgettable scenes she did for the series were obviously with Paulo. “These were our kulitan moments as husband and wife. The scene that showed our characters doing something naughty in the sala and then someone arrives. There’s also that scene when I was taking a shower and he would try to get into the bathroom with me. As a viewer, these are scenes that I’ve not yet seen in other TV series treated in a very light and charming way.”
Paulo then replied with: “What she said!”
He also reported that “Ngayon Kaya,” his movie with Janine that was directed by Prime Cruz, was supposed to be shown in cinemas in February. “But this has been moved because of the current rise in COVID-19 cases. Hopefully, it gets to be seen this year. I’m really proud of it.”
The final three weeks of “Marry Me, Marry You: Merrily Ever After?” air on weeknights at 8:40 p.m. on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5 and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.